Slender Senga loses weight and helps charities gain pounds
NIKI TENNANT
Rutherglen woman Senga McDonald may be one of the town’s biggest losers – but her impressive weight loss has resulted in several charities becoming massive winners.
A size 24 and weighing just over 17st, Senga was so shocked at how she looked in a 2016 holiday snap that she decided it was time to take action and joined WW, previously known as Weight Watchers.
She attends the group at the Reuther Hall on a Wednesday morning.
When she was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in early 2017 after suffering knee pain, medics told her she was too young for surgery but had to keep active.
A referral to a local physio led to a free, six-week gym pass, which she kept up after the complimentary period expired.
Determined to remain fit and active, Senga now heads to the parks or embarks on long walks along the West Coast.
She explained: “In 2017 I decided to take up walking for good causes and help some charities. I figured, if I’m going to walk, then let’s put it to good use!”
In August 2017, she completed the Shine Walk for Cancer Research, followed by the Glasgow Santa Dash the following December in aid of The Princess of Wales Hospice. “The following April, the charity I sponsored was personal as an ex-work colleague was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), and I decided to do the 15-mile Glasgow Kilt Walk to support this amazing charity,” explained Senga, who recently walked 10 miles around Glasgow in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Centre.
To date, Senga has raised just under £1000 for the four good causes.
She said: “The amounts I have raised are not big amounts, but I know that every charity greatly needs every penny, and I feel good to have raised anything to help good causes.
“I love walking and if I can raise some money while doing it for good causes then that is a good thing and I have the added incentive of losing weight and getting fitter. It’s a win-win situation for me.”
Senga loves WW’s ‘flex plan,’ whose foods fit in with her busy lifestyle and make her conscious of eating healthily.
She said: “I like the new zero-point foods, as it means I can eat foods that fill me up and I don’t need to worry about tracking.
“I can adapt my day to use my rollover smartpoints to have extra the next day if I want, or to allow for an extra treat.
“I also love the support and camaraderie from people who are now friends at the WW meetings.” Amazingly, since Senga embarked on her weight loss journey, she has shed 5st and now weighs a trim 12st 2lbs. A delighted Senga said: “Now, I can say that I eat healthier, take more exercise than I ever did before, have a new lease of life, feel and look better than I was when in my 20s and 30s, and have dropped from size 24 to a brilliant size 14!”